Attack of the Clones: The Closer

Have I beat this into you yet? This is all wrong. Here, at death's door, Padme finally gets her feelings out. But it's from the right, which means it shouldn't have happened and it just... it all goes to hell from here, honestly. The Republic shows up, giving up its soul. Dooku gets away. There's really not a lot to comment on here, simply because the chickens have come to roost and the plot is done. All the important bits are done. Right?

Oh c'mon, I wrote a third part, obviously there's more.

The most important thing that's focused on at the end of Attack on the Clones is what the effects of it are on Anakin. While, on the one hand, he's willing to go with Obi-Wan to take on Dooku because it's what Padme would have wanted, it only goes that far. He hasn't developed anything with Obi-Wan and it shows when Obi-Wan, pointing out the obvious about facing Dooku, is ignored and the fight is lost because of it.

Oh, right, more than the fight is lost here.

Huh, how about that?

This brings us to the Yoda fight, which is one of the most interesting fights in all of Star Wars lore, mostly because it touches on an overarching theme of all the Star Wars subversion chapters: the question of who is a good mentor and why. Episode 2 focuses on the difference between the worthy (Yoda) and the unworthy (Obi-Wan) mentor. Obi-Wan constantly belittles Anakin while refusing to give as much praise as he could. Instead of acknowledging Anakin's intents and comforting him when he doesn't measure up Obi-Wan bullies and belittles Anakin at every available turn...making Anakin's ignoring of his pleas to take Dooku together make a lot more sense. Why would he listen to Obi-Wan? Why would you, the viewer? Yoda, on the other hand, throughout the movie gently guides Obi-Wan and others. Even when confronting Dooku Yoda doesn't so much condemn his former student as try to communicate that he's not the biggest fish in the pond, as Dooku so firmly believes.

And that message most definitely carries through the end of the story, as Obi-Wan says what every fan who was watching this movie while on their cell phone says: "Without the Clones there would have been no victory". But if you've been paying any attention the crap-fest of wrongess should have you completely depressed right along with Yoda. What began in Phantom Menace was the complete and utter degeneration of the Republic.... and Yoda sees it.

The movie ends the same way it began: with Padme hidden away from public view, doing whatever the heck she likes, with no real appreciation for the consequences of her actions. From the very beginning Padme's flaws as a person have been just as, if not more, indicative of where this story is going than anything we've seen with Anakin and Obi-Wan. It's her lack of a spine that has created this situation and there is no going back. It's the beginning of the end with that kiss, its right to left-ness precluding all hope that somehow, maybe, Anakin, Padme, and Obi-Wan will grow past their issues.

Considering that Obi-Wan is too busy being the hero while Anakin and Padme get it on I doubt that's going to happen.